Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 20th Anniversary

Use your mouse to navigate through and select these historic images of Prince William Sound and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Images are from the NOAA Photo Library 'America's Coastlines' and 'Fisheries' collections.

History

On March 24, 1989, the super tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, spilling nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil into a remote, scenic, biologically diverse, and productive area.

It remains the largest oil spill to ever occur in U.S. waters. The oil spread over a wide area, ultimately affecting over 1,100 miles of Alaskan coastline.

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) was among the many local, state, federal, and private agencies and groups to provide immediate operational and scientific support during the assessment, response, and cleanup phases.

Legacy

The Exxon Valdez spill led to a reexamination of the state of oil spill prevention, response, and cleanup. One result was the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 by the U.S. Congress.

Many states responded in similar fashion by tightening or completely restructuring oversight of oil production and transportation. Here are a few programs with roots tracing back to the historic spill: